London, May 1 : Cycling ace Lance Armstrong and girlfriend Anna Hansen are expecting their second child together - less than a year after the couple''s first child was born.

The sportstar, who has three kids with his ex-wife Kristin, announced the news in a post on Twitter. com. Armstrong created a separate account for the new tot, which he has nicknamed Cinco Armstrong, reports The Daily Express.

Berlin - Lance Armstrong won't race in the 2010 Giro d'Italia, instead preferring to compete in the Tour of California.

The 38-year-old American finished 12th in this year's Giro for Astana after coming out of retirement and the seven-time Tour de France winner has since set up a new RadioShack team for next season.

The California race begins May 16 while the Giro starts on May 8. (dpa)

Hamburg  - The ruling cycling body UCI has threatened to sever its ties with the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) as partner for races in France over allegations that Lance Armstrong's Astana team received preferential treatment at the Tour de France.

The UCI said in a statement issued late Monday that it considers the accusations made by the AFLD against officials sent to the Tour de France to be completely unfounded and indeed very serious.

Sydney  - Lance Armstrong, who re-started his professional cycling career in Australia in January, will be back for the next Tour Down Under as part of the RadioShack team, officials in Adelaide said Thursday.

The Texan, who was third in this year's Tour de France while riding for Team Astana, finished the Australian six-day classic in 29th position, 49 seconds behind the winner.

The new RadioShack Team will be led by former Astana head Johan Bruyneel, who mentored Armstrong through his seven Tour de France wins.

London, July 25 : Cycling superstar Lance Armstrong is under fire after it was revealed that his latest bike for the Tour de France has been decorated with hundreds of dead butterflies.

Controversial Brit artist Damien Hirst has designed the machine for America''s seven-time Tour winner to ride into Paris tomorrow.

Hirst, who had earlier created works with insects, bred the butterflies, which were then killed and their wings glued to the hi-tech bike.

But Sam Glover, of animal rights group Peta, called the stunt "barbaric".

Paris  - Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong will return to ride in the race in 2010 with a new team.

In an interview published Wednesday in the daily L'Equipe, Armstrong said that the chances were "100 per cent" that he would race in the Tour next year.

And in a note posted on his Twitter site, he said, "Making a very cool announcement on Thursday re: a new American partner for our team in 2010 (and beyond)."

Paris  - Lance Armstrong's dream of winning an eighth Tour de France title burst on Sunday as he was left gasping in the wake of Alberto Contador's majestic ascent to the finish line in the Swiss ski resort of Verbier.

"He showed he's the best rider in the race," Armstrong told France 2 television after the 15th stage was run, and said he would now work to help his Astana teammate win the Tour.

Pontarlier, France  - The 15th stage of the 2009 Tour de France got underway Sunday in the city of Pontarlier, as the race began its decisive phase in the Alps with a minute of silence.

The brief ceremony was held in memory of the 61-year-old woman who was struck by a police motorcycle and killed as she was trying to cross the road during Saturday's
14th stage. Two other people were injured in the accident.

"The entire Tour is in mourning," race director Christian Prudhomme said.

Limoges, France - Lance Armstrong and his Astana team were also on the forefront on the rest day Monday at the Tour de France, voicing opposition against a radio ban for two stages this week.

Sixteen of the 20 teams have reportedly spoken out against the move from Tour organizers and the ruling body UCI which is designed to make the race more interesting.

According to the decision, riders will not have radio contact with team officials on Tuesday and Friday. That makes team tactics more unpredictable but has also led to safety concerns.

Paris  - The organizers of the Tour de France may very well be regretting their decision to have scheduled a demanding team time trial on the fourth day of this year's race.

Perhaps they simply underestimated the superiority of the Astana team of seven-time Tour champ Lance Armstrong and 2007 winner Alberto Contador, or they overestimated the qualities of their rivals.

Monaco - Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong said Saturday he was happy with his race after completing his first Tour stage in four years, the
15.5km individual time trial in Monaco.

"I'm happy," the 37-year-old Armstrong told journalists when he had changed into street clothes after finishing the first stage of the 2009 Tour. "Even if we don't win, I'm happy with the time."

Paris  - Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong said his first priority in this year's race is to work for his Astana team and that he would be happy just to finish among the first five in the final standings.

"If Alberto (Contador) is super, I will ride for him. My ranking in the standings will have no importance," Armstrong said in an interview published Friday in the daily L'Equipe. "I'm in good condition, but you have to respect the team. I would be happy to finish in the top 3 or the top 5."

Paris - Seven-time champion Lance Armstrong is "highly motivated" going into this year's Tour de France, Astana team chief Johan Bruyneel said Thursday.

Astana's challenge for the Tour, which begins on July 4, will be led by Armstrong and 2007 winner and team captain Alberto Contador.

Among others in the Kazakh team's line-up presented Thursday are past Tour podium finishers Andreas Kloeden of Germany and American Levi Leipheimer.

Washington, June 5 : Lance Armstrong and girlfriend, Anna Hansen, have become proud parents of a baby boy.

The multiple Tour de France winner''s lover has given birth to the couple''s first child.

They have named their new son, Max.

Armstrong gave the good news to fans via Twitter, reports Us magazine.

He wrote: "Wassup, world? My name is Max Armstrong and I just arrived. My mommy is healthy and so am I!"

San Martino di Castrozza, Italy  - Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong on Tuesday looked impressive for most of the day, but lost valuable ground on the last kilometre as Danilo di Luca won the fourth Giro d'Italia stage.

The Astana team captain fell back to sixth in the overall standings - 28 seconds behind Swedish Columbia cyclist Thomas Loevkvist, who took over the overall leaders' jersey.

Di Luca, who won the 162 kilometre-long stage from Padua to San Martino di Castrozza ahead of compatriots Stefano Garzelli and Franco Pellizotti, is two seconds behind the Swede.

Washington, May 9 : American racing cyclist Lance Armstrong has revealed in his forthcoming book that he and former fiancé Sheryl Crow called it quits because Crow was keen to have a baby while Lance was not.

Lance divulges in his book that, as he had just got out of his marriage, he did not have any immediate plans to have a baby with former fiancé Sheryl Crow, as her biological clock was ticking.

Sydney - Twice runner-up Cadel Evans doubts seven-time winner Lance Armstrong will be on the starting line for July's Tour de France.

Evans told The Australian newspaper Tuesday that Armstrong's Spanish teammate, 2007 winner Alberto Contador, would be the favourite and Astana Team leader.

"Astana is the strongest team that's ever turned up at the start of the Tour de France," Evans said. "Let's see who's on the start line, but Contador is the man to beat."

Berlin  - Lance Armstrong will definitely compete in this year's Giro d'Italia despite breaking his right collarbone less than a month ago, the Gazzetta dello Sport reported Thursday.

The seven-time Tour de France winner has reportedly confirmed his participation in the Giro, which starts on May 9 in Venice, to race organizers.

However, the 37-year-old American rider won't be fully fit due to the injury sustained on March 23 when he crashed on stage one of the Vuelta a Castilla y Leon in Spain.

London, Apr 10 : Cycling legend Lance Armstrong could face sanctions from the French anti-doping agency after being accused of violating rules during a random test in March.

The seven-time Tour de France winner is accused of “not respecting the obligation to remain under the direct and permanent observation” of the tester, the Daily Express reported.

The row stems from an unscheduled visit of an agency tester to his residence during a training stint in France.

Paris  - Lance Armstrong could face punishment by the French anti-doping agency (AFLD) over his behaviour during a doping test last month in southern France.

Samples taken from the seven-time Tour de France winner on March 17 in Beaulieu-sur-mer returned negative but it is alleged that he may have violated the AFLD's rules regarding observation due to his lack of cooperation with the tester.

The 37-year-old Astana rider made the AFLD accredited doctor wait 20 minutes before allowing him take a blood, hair and urine sample.